Blind cavity tightening robot for aero-engine compressor rotor and working method

By designing a blind cavity tightening robot for the rotor of the aircraft engine compressor, and using robotic arm modules and sensor systems for precise control, the problem of insufficient equipment flexibility and versatility in the prior art is solved, and efficient and accurate rotor assembly is achieved.

CN119973609AActive Publication Date: 2025-05-13BEIHANG UNIV

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202510230990.6
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-02-28
Publication Date
2025-05-13
Estimated Expiration
2045-02-28

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the prior art, the installation equipment used for high-pressure compressor rotors for aircraft engines is insufficient in flexibility and versatility, complex structure, difficult to ensure assembly accuracy, and is not suitable for rotors of different specifications.

Method used

A blind cavity tightening robot for the compressor rotor of the aircraft engine was designed, and the blind cavity bolt tightening operation was used to combine the displacement sensor and a high-precision camera to achieve precise positioning and control, achieving improved equipment flexibility and versatility.

Benefits of technology

It improves the flexibility and visualization of the equipment under different types of rotor assembly conditions, realizes the flexibility and modularity of rotor assembly, reduces design and manufacturing costs, and improves assembly efficiency and accuracy.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention relates to a blind cavity tightening robot for an aero-engine compressor rotor and a working method, belongs to the technical field of aero-engine high-pressure compressor rotor assembly, and solves the problems that in the prior art, the compressor rotor assembly efficiency is low, and universality and flexibility are insufficient. The rotor positioning module is used for keeping the compressor rotor to be tightened; the mechanical arm module has multiple degrees of freedom; the nut supply module is used for providing to-be-assembled nuts; the tightening arm module is installed on the mechanical arm module and used for conducting torque calibration, nut picking and tightening operation; the displacement sensor module and the high-precision camera module are installed on the tightening arm module and used for obtaining distance and position information; and the automatic control module communicates with the displacement sensor module and the high-precision camera module so as to receive distance and position information from the displacement sensor module and the high-precision camera module and control movement and operation of the mechanical arm module.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of assembly of aero-engine high-pressure compressor rotors, and in particular to a blind cavity tightening robot and a working method for an aero-engine compressor rotor. Background Art

[0002] The connection between the intermediate blades of the high-pressure compressor rotor unit of an aircraft engine often uses an inverted mounting flange stop bolt array. As an important component of an aircraft engine, the quality of the bolt connection directly affects the assembly performance of the entire engine.

[0003] When the installation equipment for the high-pressure compressor rotor of an aircraft engine is used in the prior art, it is usually necessary to use a lifting mechanism to lift and fix the installation equipment above the rotor. On the pulsating assembly production line of an aircraft engine, the assembly of the engine generally includes horizontal installation and vertical installation. If the installation equipment is used on a vertical pulsating production line, it is necessary to switch back and forth between the horizontal and vertical installation methods, which affects the assembly efficiency. In addition, for the prior art, it is usually only possible to install bolts on a single part of a single type of rotor, which is no longer applicable to engine rotors of different specifications. It is necessary to change the size of some or even most of the parts to adapt to the bolts of rotors of different specifications. In addition, because the existing installation equipment works under more extreme working conditions and spaces, the structure is more complex, which makes the assembly work more difficult and cannot fully guarantee the assembly accuracy.

[0004] Therefore, the technical field needs an improved intelligent tightening device that can improve the flexibility on the pulsating production line of aircraft engines and can move horizontally and vertically; has excellent versatility and modularity, is easy to integrate and modify, and is suitable for rotors of different specifications and sizes; has a simple structure and high stability; has high precision and accurate closed-loop control; and can quickly locate and improve the rhythm for tightening the blind cavity of a fixed workstation. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to solve the problems of poor versatility, poor flexibility and complex structure of existing tightening equipment in the existing compressor rotor blind cavity tightening technology, the present invention provides a blind cavity tightening robot and a working method for an aircraft engine compressor rotor. By using a robotic arm to perform the blind cavity bolt tightening operation, the flexibility of the equipment under different types of rotor assembly conditions and the visualization of the rotor assembly status are improved, thereby achieving an improvement in the flexibility and modularity of the rotor assembly.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor is provided, comprising:

[0007] Equipment base for providing fixed support;

[0008] A rotor positioning module, which is arranged on the equipment base and is used to hold the compressor rotor to be tightened;

[0009] A robotic arm module, which is arranged on the base of the device and has multiple degrees of freedom;

[0010] A nut supply module, arranged on the equipment base, for providing nuts to be assembled;

[0011] The tightening arm module is installed on the robot arm module and is used for torque calibration, picking up nuts and tightening operations;

[0012] A displacement sensor module and a high-precision camera module are installed on the tightening arm module to obtain distance and position information;

[0013] The automatic control module is arranged on the device base, communicates with the displacement sensor module and the high-precision camera module to receive distance and position information from the displacement sensor module and the high-precision camera module, and controls the movement and operation of the mechanical arm module.

[0014] Optionally, the tightening arm module comprises:

[0015] A fixing part connected to the end of the robot arm module;

[0016] a moving portion connected to the fixed portion and movable in a vertical direction relative to the fixed portion;

[0017] An electric tightening gun, mounted on the moving part, for providing torque for tightening the nut;

[0018] End tightening arm for picking up nuts and performing tightening operations;

[0019] The connecting rod assembly has an upper end fixed to the moving part and can move in the vertical direction with the moving part, and is connected to the electric tightening gun, and a lower end connected to the end tightening arm to drive the end tightening arm to move in the vertical direction and transmit the torque of the electric tightening gun to the end tightening arm.

[0020] Optionally, the tightening arm module further includes:

[0021] The cylinder and the linear guide rail are arranged between the fixed part and the moving part. The moving part is driven by the cylinder to move along the linear guide rail in the vertical direction relative to the fixed part.

[0022] Optionally, the tightening arm module further includes:

[0023] An end nut sleeve mounted on the end tightening arm for picking up and installing nuts;

[0024] The miniature camera installed on the terminal tightening arm is used to acquire images of the operating state of the terminal nut sleeve and provide the acquired images to the automatic control module.

[0025] Optionally, the connecting rod assembly comprises:

[0026] A hollow rod, the upper end of which is fixed to the moving part, and the lower end of which is fixed to the terminal tightening arm, so as to drive the terminal tightening arm to move in the vertical direction along with the moving part; and

[0027] The tightening rod is arranged in the hollow rod, the upper end of which is connected to the electric tightening gun, and the lower end of which is connected to the end tightening arm, so as to transmit the torque of the electric tightening gun to the end tightening arm.

[0028] Optionally, a spline is provided at the lower end of the tightening rod of the connecting rod assembly; and the terminal tightening arm is provided with a driving gear for driving the terminal nut sleeve, and the driving gear is formed with a spline hole matching the spline of the tightening rod.

[0029] Optionally, the tightening arm module further includes: a quick-change mechanism, which is fixed to the fixing portion and detachably connected to the end of the robotic arm module, and is used to detachably connect the tightening arm module to the end of the robotic arm module.

[0030] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a working method based on a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor is provided, comprising the following steps:

[0031] Step S1: the automatic control module controls and adjusts the initial posture of the mechanical arm module so that the tightening arm module moves to the vicinity of the rotor positioning module, and the compressor rotor to be tightened is placed in the rotor positioning module and is kept in position by the rotor positioning module;

[0032] Step S2: the automatic control module controls the operation of the mechanical arm module, drives the tightening arm module to move to the vicinity of the nut mounting frame, and drives the end tightening arm so that the end nut sleeve thereon picks up the nut from the nut mounting frame;

[0033] Step S3: The automatic control module controls the mechanical arm module to adjust its posture, drives the tightening arm module to move to the top of the compressor rotor fixed by the rotor positioning module, and drives the tightening arm module and the end tightening arm to enter the cavity of the compressor rotor, aligns the picked-up nut with the bolt to be tightened in the compressor rotor through the end nut sleeve, and performs initial tightening;

[0034] Step S4: Determine whether all the bolts to be tightened in the compressor rotor have been initially tightened with the nuts. If yes, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to step S2;

[0035] Step S5: The automatic control module controls the robotic arm module to adjust its posture, drives the tightening arm module and the end tightening arm to move back into the cavity of the compressor rotor, and drives the end nut sleeve to preload all nuts and bolts in turn to complete the tightening operation of the compressor rotor.

[0036] Optionally, the step S2 specifically includes the following steps:

[0037] Step S2.1: The automatic control module controls the robot arm module to adjust the posture so that the torque calibrator on the nut mounting frame is exposed to the field of view of the high-precision camera. The high-precision camera positions the torque calibrator. At the same time, the displacement sensor module determines the current horizontal height of the end tightening arm. The high-precision camera and the displacement sensor feed back the position and height information to the automatic control module.

[0038] Step S2.2: The automatic control module controls the robot arm module to adjust its posture according to the feedback position and height information, so that the end nut sleeve of the end tightening arm approaches the probe of the torque calibrator. When the probe of the torque calibrator enters the field of view of the micro camera on the end tightening arm, the micro camera feeds back the position data of the probe of the torque calibrator to the automatic control module, and then controls the robot arm module to make fine adjustments, so that the sleeve center line of the end nut sleeve is aligned and engaged with the probe center line of the torque calibrator, and the torque calibration of the electric tightening gun is performed;

[0039] Step S2.3: The automatic control module controls the robot arm module to adjust the posture so that the nut on the nut mounting frame is exposed to the field of view of the high-precision camera. The high-precision camera locates the nut, confirms the position information of the nut to be picked up, and feeds back to the automatic control module. At the same time, the displacement sensor module determines the current horizontal height of the end tightening arm. The high-precision camera and the displacement sensor feed back the position and height information to the automatic control module.

[0040] Step S2.4: The automatic control module controls the robotic arm module to adjust its posture according to the newly received feedback position and height information, so that the end nut sleeve of the end tightening arm is close to the nut to be picked up on the nut mounting frame. When the nut enters the field of view of the micro camera, the micro camera feeds back the position data of the nut to the automatic control module, and then controls the robotic arm module to make fine adjustments so that the center line of the end nut sleeve is aligned with the center line of the nut and picks up the nut.

[0041] Optionally, the step S3 specifically includes the following steps:

[0042] Step S3.1: The automatic control module controls the mechanical arm module to adjust its posture so that the compressor rotor to be assembled enters the field of view of the high-precision camera. The high-precision camera locates the center of the compressor rotor. At the same time, the displacement sensor module determines the current horizontal height of the terminal tightening arm. The high-precision camera and the displacement sensor feed back the position and height data to the automatic control module. The automatic control module calculates the relative position data between the terminal tightening arm and the central entrance of the compressor rotor.

[0043] Step S3.2: The automatic control module controls the mechanical arm module to adjust its posture according to the calculated relative position data, drives the terminal tightening arm to move until its horizontal center coincides with the inlet center of the compressor rotor, and then makes the terminal tightening arm descend into the cavity of the compressor rotor. According to the height information of the terminal tightening arm provided by the displacement sensor module in real time, the arm stops descending when the set working height is reached;

[0044] Step S3.3: The automatic control module controls the mechanical arm module to adjust its posture so that the terminal tightening arm moves in the horizontal direction and approaches the bolt to be tightened in the cavity of the compressor rotor. At the same time, the micro camera obtains the relative position of the center line of the terminal nut sleeve and the center line of the bolt and feeds it back to the automatic control module. The automatic control module fine-tunes the mechanical arm accordingly so that the center line of the terminal nut sleeve coincides with the center of the bolt.

[0045] Step S3.4: the automatic control module controls the cylinder of the tightening arm module to operate, driving the moving part to move downward along the linear guide relative to the fixed part, so that the nut clamped on the end nut sleeve of the end tightening arm is engaged with the bolt at the bottom;

[0046] Step S3.5: The automatic control module controls the electric tightening gun to output torque, and transmits the torque to the end nut sleeve of the end tightening arm through the connecting rod assembly to perform the bolt tightening operation, so that the nut is screwed to the bolt for initial tightening, and at the same time, the cylinder applies pressure to keep the end nut sleeve and the nut in a buckled state;

[0047] Step S3.6: The automatic control module controls the operation of the cylinder to pull the moving part upward along the linear guide relative to the fixed part, driving the end tightening arm to move upward, so that the end nut sleeve is separated from the nut, and the automatic control module controls the mechanical arm module to withdraw the end tightening arm from the cavity of the compressor rotor.

[0048] Compared with the prior art, the blind cavity tightening robot and working method for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided by the present invention have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0049] 1) During the entire tightening process, the visual recognition module of the device of the present invention transmits the image of the tightening sleeve to the external operation and monitoring panel in real time, monitors whether there is any missed tightening, wrong tightening, or nut falling, and controls the device to perform corresponding operations. Accordingly, the tightening information is fed back to the worker in real time, realizing the full visualization of the blind cavity nut tightening, overcoming the difficulty of traditional manual tightening that the field of view inside the high-pressure compressor disc cavity is inaccessible and the tightening status is obtained by touch of the hand.

[0050] 2) The device of the present invention is modularly designed. Under working conditions of different specifications and sizes or different connection positions of the rotor, it is only necessary to replace different tightening arm mechanisms. After rapid replacement through the quick-change mechanism, a dedicated blind cavity tightening device can be obtained by providing a corresponding control program. There is no need to redesign and manufacture the entire equipment, which greatly reduces the design cost of the equipment and has higher versatility. In addition, the device of the present invention can be used for different types of aircraft engine pulsation assembly production lines and can be applicable to various types of assembly processes such as horizontal and vertical.

[0051] 3) The device of the present invention has a simple structure. Compared with the high cost caused by the processing and design of a large number of non-standard parts of tooling-type automation equipment, the use of robots will increase the number of standard parts of the equipment, greatly reduce the manufacturing cost and manufacturing time cost of the equipment, and the difficulty of assembly is also greatly reduced; at the same time, compared with complex mechanical structures, the accumulated processing error through the dimension chain is small and the equipment reliability is high.

[0052] 4) The device of the present invention can perform multi-station operations, or single-station multi-position tightening operations. Conventional tightening equipment can only perform tightening operations on a single workpiece and a single position at a time. At the same time, some assembly conditions are temperature difference assembly. After tightening is completed, it needs to be left still for a period of time. At this time, the equipment will be occupied, which reduces the assembly efficiency. The present invention uses a robotic arm to perform tightening operations. After the tightening operation of one workpiece is completed, the robotic arm can directly withdraw, and then perform tightening operations on other workpieces. At the same time, the robotic arm can even perform multi-stage disk tightening operations on a single rotor workpiece, realizing single-station multi-position tightening without the need to replace the tightening arm, greatly improving the assembly efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. The features and advantages of the present invention can be more clearly understood by referring to the drawings. The drawings are schematic and should not be understood as limiting the present invention in any way. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0054] Figure 1It is a schematic diagram of a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of a tightening arm module of a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] Figure 3 The present invention is a bottom view of the end tightening arm of a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of a nut supply module of a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 5 It is a partial cross-sectional view of the process in which the end tightening arm enters the cavity of the compressor rotor when the blind cavity tightening robot for the compressor rotor of an aircraft engine is in working state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Figure 6 It is a state diagram of torque calibration performed in the working state of a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A partial enlarged view of the dotted box part.

[0061] Figure 8 It is a state diagram of a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor when taking out nuts in a working state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 A partial enlarged view of the dotted box part.

[0063] Fig.10 This is a state diagram of a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided according to an embodiment of the present invention when the end tightening arm moves to above the compressor rotor in the working state.

[0064] Fig.11 It is a partial cross-sectional view of a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided according to an embodiment of the present invention when a terminal tightening arm is tightening a nut in a working state.

[0065] Fig.12 yes Fig.11 A partial enlarged view of the dotted box part.

[0066] Figure markings: 100-equipment base; 200-rotor positioning module; 300-tightening arm module; 301-end tightening arm; 311-end nut sleeve; 302-moving part; 303-electric tightening gun; 304-linear guide; 305-quick change mechanism; 306-fixing part; 307-cylinder; 308-mini camera; 309-connecting rod assembly; 400-automatic control module; 500-mechanical arm module; 600-nut supply module; 601-nut mounting bracket; 602-torque calibrator; 700-displacement sensor module; 800-high-precision camera module; 900-compressor rotor; 10-nut; 20-bolt. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] In order to more clearly understand the above-mentioned purpose, features and advantages of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0068] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present invention, but the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0069] The following describes in detail a blind cavity tightening robot and a working method for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0070] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the embodiments described below are intended to facilitate the understanding of the present invention and do not have any limiting effect on the present invention.

[0071] The rotor disk to be connected in the present invention takes the 3rd stage rotor disk to be connected of the compressor as an example, and the blind cavity tightening robot for the compressor rotor of an aircraft engine provided by the present invention is installed on the rear flange of the 9th stage rotor disk.

[0072] like Figure 1As shown, a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor provided according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises an equipment base 100, a rotor positioning module 200, a tightening arm module 300, an automatic control module 400, a mechanical arm module 500, a nut supply module 600, a displacement sensor module 700, and a high-precision camera module 800, wherein the rotor positioning module 200, the automatic control module 400, the mechanical arm module 500, and the nut supply module 600 are mounted and fixed on the equipment base 100; the tightening arm module 300 is mounted on the mechanical arm module 500; and the displacement sensor module 700 and the high-precision camera module 800 are mounted on the tightening arm module 300 through a connector. When the displacement sensor module 700 is installed, it should be ensured that the tightening arm module 300 or other parts on the mechanical arm do not block the infrared rays emitted by the displacement sensor module 700, so that the displacement sensor module 700 can perform distance detection, and when the high-precision camera module 800 is installed, it should be ensured that the circular contour of the compressor rotor can be detected within the field of view, so as to calculate the horizontal coordinate position of the center of the rotor. The layout of the modules ensures that there is no interference between them. The relative positions of the rotor positioning module 200, the mechanical arm module 500 and the nut supply module 600 enable the mechanical arm module 500 to have enough space to move, and at the same time enable the tightening arm module 300 to perform torque calibration, pick up nuts and tighten operations within the specified space. The automatic control module 400 can receive data information from the high-precision camera module 800 and the displacement sensor module 700, and control the mechanical arm module 500 to move, adjust the posture and operate according to the data information. As needed, the mechanical arm module 500 can use a mechanical arm with (multiple) degrees of freedom, such as a three-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm, a four-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm, a five-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm, etc.

[0073] refer to Figure 1 The equipment base 100 can be welded from hollow pipes, with a steel plate fixed on the top and a foot cup installed on the bottom for support.

[0074] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3, the tightening arm module 300 of the blind cavity tightening robot for the compressor rotor of an aircraft engine provided in this embodiment is described in detail. The tightening arm module 300 of this embodiment includes an end tightening arm 301, a moving part 302, an electric tightening gun 303, a linear guide 304, a quick-change mechanism 305, a fixed part 306, a cylinder 307, a connecting rod assembly 309 and a miniature camera 308. Among them, the operations of the electric tightening gun 303 and the cylinder 307 can be controlled by the automatic control module 400. Among them, the quick-change mechanism 305 is fixed on the fixed part 306, and the tightening arm module 300 is connected to the end of the mechanical arm module 500 through the quick-change mechanism 305. The clutch of the quick-change mechanism 305 can be controlled by the automatic control module 400 to achieve the connection and disconnection of the tightening arm module 300 and the mechanical arm module 500, so that the tightening arm modules 300 of different sizes and specifications can be replaced in this way to adapt to the bolt tightening tasks of compressor rotors 900 of different sizes and specifications, thereby improving the universal capability of the blind cavity tightening robot. The moving part 302 is movably connected to the fixed part 306 through a linear guide 304 and a cylinder 307; the end tightening arm 301 is fixed to the moving part 302 through a connecting rod assembly 309, and is operably connected to the electric tightening gun 303; the micro camera 308 is installed on the end tightening arm 301.

[0075] The fixing part 306 includes a horizontal flat plate and a vertical flat plate arranged in the middle below the horizontal flat plate. A quick-change structure 305 is installed above the horizontal flat plate of the fixing part 306, and a cylinder 307 is installed below the horizontal flat plate. The upper horizontal flat plate and the lower vertical flat plate can be reinforced by ribs.

[0076] The moving part 302 may include a horizontal plate and a vertical plate, and the horizontal plate and the vertical plate are connected to form a right angle structure, and ribs may be used for reinforcement on both sides. The moving part 302 and the fixed part 306 may be movably connected through a cylinder 307 and a linear guide 304, wherein the cylinder barrel and the piston rod of the cylinder 307 are respectively fixedly connected to the fixed part 306 and the moving part 302, thereby promoting relative movement therebetween. Specifically, the cylinder barrel of the cylinder is connected to the lower part of the horizontal plate of the fixed part 306, the bottom of the piston rod of the cylinder 307 is connected to the cylinder joint, and then the cylinder joint is connected to the horizontal plate of the moving part 302. The linear guide 304 includes a track and a slider arranged in the track, and the track and the slider are respectively fixed to the fixed part 306 and the moving part 302. Specifically, the track of the linear guide 304 is fixedly installed on one side of the vertical plate of the fixed part 306 in the vertical direction, and the slider is fixed to the vertical plate of the moving part 302. Thus, the linear guide 304 ensures that the moving part 302 moves in a vertical straight line. When the cylinder 307 is running, the moving part 302 is driven to move up and down relative to the fixed part 306, and the slider moving in the track of the linear guide 304 ensures that the moving direction of the moving part 302 is a vertical straight line direction, and the moving stroke is within the stroke range of the cylinder 307. For example, the stroke of the cylinder 307 can be set to 15mm-20mm as needed, so that the moving stroke of the moving part 302 in the vertical direction is 15mm-20mm.

[0077] The electric tightening gun 303 and the connecting rod assembly 309 can be assembled together through the moving part 302. Specifically, a tightening gun mounting seat is provided through the vertical flat plate of the moving part 302, so that the electric tightening gun 303 can be fixed on the vertical flat plate through the tightening gun mounting seat.

[0078] The connecting rod assembly 309 includes a hollow rod and a tightening rod disposed in the hollow rod. The upper end of the hollow rod is fixed to the moving part 302, and the lower end is fixed to the terminal tightening arm 301, so as to drive the terminal tightening arm 301 to move in the vertical direction along with the moving part 302; the upper end of the tightening rod is connected to the electric tightening gun 303, and the lower end is connected to the terminal tightening arm 301, so as to transmit the torque of the electric tightening gun 303 to the terminal tightening arm 301. Specifically, a through hole is formed in the horizontal plate of the moving part 302, and a tightening rod fixing seat is provided. The tightening rod fixing seat can fix the hollow rod by bolting, and the tightening rod passes through the hollow rod and extends upward from the through hole of the horizontal plate, and is connected to the electric tightening gun 303 through the tightening gun sleeve, so as to receive torque from the electric tightening gun 303.

[0079] refer to Figure 3 , Fig. 9 and Fig.12The terminal tightening arm 301 provided in this embodiment is fixed to the lower end of the above-mentioned hollow rod and connected to the lower end of the tightening rod. The terminal tightening arm 301 is provided with a terminal nut sleeve 311 and a micro camera 308 for picking up and installing nuts. Specifically, the terminal nut sleeve 311 is installed at the bottom of the terminal tightening arm 301, which is convenient for picking up and installing operations without interference. The micro camera 308 is installed at the bottom of the terminal tightening arm 301, and is configured so that the midline of the field of view of the micro camera 308 coincides with the midline of the terminal nut sleeve 311, so as to accurately obtain an image of the operating state of the terminal nut sleeve 311. In this embodiment, a spline is provided at the lower end of the tightening rod inside the hollow rod. The terminal tightening arm 301 is formed with a through hole for installing the hollow rod, and is provided with a driving gear for driving the terminal nut sleeve 311, in which a spline hole matching the spline of the tightening rod is formed. The lower part of the hollow rod of the connecting rod assembly 309 is inserted and fixed into the through hole of the terminal tightening arm 301, and the spline at the lower end of the tightening rod matches the spline hole of the driving gear of the terminal tightening arm 301. Therefore, the terminal tightening arm 301 is operably connected to the electric tightening gun 303 through the tightening rod, and the torque output by the electric tightening gun 303 is transmitted to the terminal tightening arm 301. The specific torque transmission process is that the electric tightening gun 303 outputs torque, drives the tightening rod connected thereto, and transmits it to the driving gear matched with the spline through the spline at the lower end of the tightening rod, and the driving gear then drives the terminal nut sleeve 311 to rotate, and performs the nut picking or tightening operation.

[0080] The automatic control module 400 can also receive data and image information from the micro camera 308 provided on the end tightening arm 301 , and control the movement of the robot arm module 500 and the tightening arm module 300 according to the information, thereby adjusting the position of the end tightening arm 301 .

[0081] In another embodiment, the blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor may further include an outer frame that accommodates the entire device and is used to separate the blind cavity tightening robot from the external environment.

[0082] refer to Figure 4 The nut supply module 600 provided in this embodiment includes a nut mounting frame 601 and a torque calibrator 602 disposed on the nut mounting frame 601. In this embodiment, the nut mounting frame 601 can be formed by splicing aluminum alloy profiles, with a moderate height, and can include multiple layers of nut racks, each layer of the nut rack is provided with multiple nut placement positions, and the distances between the nut placement positions are moderate, so that when the end tightening arm 301 approaches the nut placed on the nut mounting frame 601, there is enough space to pick up the nut without mutual interference.

[0083] The following references Figures 5 to 12The working method of the blind cavity tightening robot for the compressor rotor of an aircraft engine provided in the above embodiment, including the process of tightening the compressor rotor, is described in detail. The working method specifically includes the following steps.

[0084] Step S1: The automatic control module 400 controls and adjusts the initial posture of the mechanical arm module 500, so that the tightening arm module 300 moves to the vicinity of the rotor positioning module 200, and the compressor rotor 900 to be tightened is placed in the rotor positioning module 200 and is kept in position by the rotor positioning module 200. At this time, the cylinder 307 is in a contracted state. In this step, the compressor rotor 900 can be installed and fixed on the rotor positioning module 200 using a tool, and the compressor rotor 900 is circumferentially positioned by a pin shaft.

[0085] Step S2: The automatic control module 400 controls the operation of the mechanical arm module 500, drives the tightening arm module 300 to move to the vicinity of the nut mounting frame 601, and drives the end tightening arm 301 so that the end nut sleeve 311 thereon picks up the nut from the nut mounting frame 601. Figures 6 to 9 , the step S2 specifically includes the following steps.

[0086] Step S2.1: The automatic control module 400 controls the robotic arm module 500 to adjust its posture so that the torque calibrator 602 on the nut mounting bracket 601 is exposed to the field of view of the high-precision camera module 800. The high-precision camera module 800 positions the torque calibrator 602. At the same time, the displacement sensor module 700 determines the current horizontal height of the end tightening arm 301. The high-precision camera module 800 and the displacement sensor module 700 feed back the position and height information to the automatic control module 400.

[0087] Step S2.2: Reference Figure 6 and Figure 7 The automatic control module 400 controls the robot arm module 500 to adjust its posture according to the feedback position and height information, so that the end nut sleeve 311 of the end tightening arm 301 is close to the probe of the torque calibrator 602. When the probe of the torque calibrator 602 enters the field of view of the micro camera 308 on the end tightening arm 301, the micro camera 308 feeds back the position data of the probe of the torque calibrator 602 to the automatic control module 400, and then controls the robot arm module 500 to perform fine adjustments, so that the sleeve center line of the end nut sleeve 311 is aligned and engaged with the probe center line of the torque calibrator 602, and the torque calibration of the electric tightening gun 303 is performed.

[0088] Step S2.3: See Figure 8, the automatic control module 400 controls the mechanical arm module 500 to adjust the posture so that the nuts on the nut mounting frame 601 are exposed to the field of view of the high-precision camera module 800. The high-precision camera module 800 locates the nuts, confirms the position information of the nuts 10 to be picked up, and feeds back to the automatic control module 400. At the same time, the displacement sensor module 700 determines the current horizontal height of the terminal tightening arm 301. The high-precision camera module 800 and the displacement sensor module 700 feed back the position and height information to the automatic control module 400. In this step, the automatic control module 400 can also calculate the relative position information of other nuts through the position information of the nuts to be picked up obtained from the high-precision camera module 800, so as to provide a position reference for subsequent nut picking.

[0089] Step S2.4: Reference Figure 8 and Fig. 9 The automatic control module 400 controls the robot arm module 500 to adjust its posture according to the newly received feedback position and height information, so that the end nut sleeve 311 on the end tightening arm 301 is close to the nut 10 to be picked up on the nut mounting frame 601. When the nut 10 enters the field of view of the micro camera 308, the micro camera 308 feeds back the position data of the nut 10 to the automatic control module 400, and then controls the robot arm module 500 to make fine adjustments, so that the sleeve center line of the end nut sleeve 311 is aligned with the center line of the nut 10 and picks up the nut 10.

[0090] Step S3: The automatic control module 400 controls the mechanical arm module 500 to adjust its posture, drives the tightening arm module 300 to move to the top of the compressor rotor 900 fixed by the rotor positioning module 200, and drives the tightening arm module 300 and the end tightening arm 301 to enter the cavity of the compressor rotor 900, aligns the picked-up nut with the bolt to be tightened in the compressor rotor 900 through the end nut sleeve 311, and performs initial tightening. Figures 10 to 12 , step S3 specifically includes the following steps.

[0091] Step S3.1: Reference Fig.10 , the automatic control module 400 controls the mechanical arm module 500 to adjust the posture so that the compressor rotor 900 to be assembled enters the field of view of the high-precision camera module 800, and the high-precision camera module 800 locates the center of the compressor rotor 900. At the same time, the displacement sensor module 700 determines the current horizontal height of the terminal tightening arm 301. The high-precision camera module 800 and the displacement sensor module 700 feed back the position and height data to the automatic control module 400, and the automatic control module 400 calculates the relative position data between the terminal tightening arm 301 and the central entrance of the compressor rotor 900. In this step, it should be ensured that the lowest point of the terminal tightening arm 301 is above the central entrance of the compressor rotor 900.

[0092] Step S3.2: Reference Fig.11 The automatic control module 400 controls the robot arm module 500 to adjust its posture according to the calculated relative position data, drives the end tightening arm 301 to move until its horizontal center coincides with the inlet center of the compressor rotor 900, and then descends the end tightening arm 301 into the cavity of the compressor rotor 900. The height information of the end tightening arm 301 is provided in real time according to the displacement sensor module 700, and stops descending when the specified working height is reached.

[0093] Step S3.3: The automatic control module 400 controls the robotic arm module 500 to adjust its posture so that the end tightening arm 301 moves in the horizontal direction and approaches the bolt 20 to be tightened in the cavity of the compressor rotor 900. At the same time, the micro camera 308 feeds back the relative position of the center line of the end nut sleeve 311 and the center line of the bolt 20, and feeds back to the automatic control module 400. The automatic control module 400 fine-tunes the robotic arm 500 so that the center line of the end nut sleeve 311 coincides with the center of the bolt 20.

[0094] Step S3.4: See Fig.12 The automatic control module 400 controls the cylinder 307 of the tightening arm module 300 to operate, driving the moving part 302 to move downward along the linear guide rail 304 relative to the fixed part 306, so that the nut 10 clamped on the end nut sleeve 311 of the end tightening arm 301 is engaged with the bolt 20 at the bottom.

[0095] Step S3.5: Reference Fig.12 , the automatic control module 400 controls the electric tightening gun 303 to output torque, and transmits the torque to the end nut sleeve 311 of the end tightening arm 301 through the connecting rod assembly 309 as a torque transmission structure, and then performs the bolt tightening operation to screw the nut 10 to the bolt 20; at the same time, since when the bolt is tightened, the nut 10 will rotate and slowly leave the end nut sleeve 311 as the thread line moves downward, the cylinder 307 will continue to apply appropriate pressure to keep the end nut sleeve 311 in a snap-fit ​​state with the nut 10 until the tightening is completed. This step is the first tightening, that is, as an initial tightening, only a small torque needs to be applied, and the automatic control module 400 records the absolute coordinate data of the current bolt 20.

[0096] Step S3.6: After the initial tightening is completed, the automatic control module 400 controls the cylinder 307 to operate the lifting motion part 302 to move upward along the linear guide rail 304 relative to the fixed part 306, driving the end tightening arm 301 to move upward, so that the end nut sleeve 311 is separated from the nut, and the automatic control module 400 controls the mechanical arm module 500 to withdraw the end tightening arm 301 from the cavity of the compressor rotor 900 to the outside. The state of this position can be referred to Fig.10 .

[0097] Step S4: Determine whether all the bolts to be tightened in the compressor rotor have been initially tightened with the nuts. If yes, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to step S2.

[0098] Step S5: The automatic control module 400 controls the mechanical arm module 500 to adjust the posture, and the terminal tightening arm 301 moves back into the cavity of the compressor rotor 900, and drives the terminal nut sleeve 311 to load the nut and the bolt with pre-tightening force in sequence, completing the tightening operation of the compressor rotor 900. The step S5 specifically includes the following steps.

[0099] Step S5.1: According to the absolute coordinate data of each bolt obtained in each initial tightening in step S9, the automatic control module 400 controls the robot arm module 500 to adjust its posture, moves the end tightening arm 301 back into the cavity of the compressor rotor 900, and sequentially engages the end nut sleeve 311 of the end tightening arm 301 with the nut in a set order, outputs the final torque through the electric tightening gun 303, and transmits the torque to the nut through the end tightening arm 301 through the connecting rod assembly 309 as a torque transmission mechanism, thereby completing the pre-tightening force loading of all nuts.

[0100] Step S5.2: The automatic control module 400 controls the robot arm module 500 to adjust its posture so that the end tightening arm 301 withdraws from the cavity of the compressor rotor 900 to the outside, and moves the compressor rotor 900 out through a tool to complete the tightening operation of the compressor rotor 900.

[0101] In another embodiment, the outputs of the high-precision camera module 800 and the micro camera 308 can be connected to an external operation and monitoring panel, so that during the working process, the image of the tightening sleeve is transmitted to the external operation and monitoring panel in real time, so as to facilitate manual or automatic monitoring of whether there is leakage, wrong tightening, nut falling, etc., and control the device to perform corresponding operations. In addition, real-time feedback of tightening information can be realized to the operator, realizing the visualization of the whole process of blind cavity nut tightening.

[0102] In another embodiment, after step S1, a device self-checking step may also be performed.

[0103] In another embodiment, two or even more workstations of the rotor positioning module 200 may be provided as required to install multiple compressor rotors 900 workpieces. After completing the tightening of the first rotor, the automatic control module 400 may control the A1 axis of the mechanical arm to rotate a certain angle, and transfer the end of the mechanical arm to the second workstation to tighten the second compressor rotor 900. The same is true for the tightening operation of rotors at more workstations. Multi-workstation operation is realized to improve the efficiency of engine assembly.

[0104] In another embodiment, the same compressor rotor 900 may have multiple layers of bolt groups that need to be tightened. After the mechanical arm completes the tightening of the first layer of bolts, the automatic control module 400 may readjust the posture of the mechanical arm module 500 and the position of the tightening arm module 300, so that the end tightening arm 301 is adjusted to the height of the second layer of bolt groups to tighten the second layer of bolt groups. For the tightening operation of more layers of bolts, the same can be applied to achieve single-station multi-position operation.

[0105] All the above optional technical solutions can be arbitrarily combined to form optional embodiments of the present application, which will not be described one by one here.

[0106] It should be understood that the order of execution of the steps in the above embodiment does not necessarily mean the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0107] The above description is only a preferred specific implementation manner of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by any technician familiar with the technical field within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor, characterized in that: include: A device base (100) for providing fixed support; A rotor positioning module (200) is arranged on the equipment base (100) and is used to hold the compressor rotor (900) to be tightened; A mechanical arm module (500), arranged on the device base (100), having multiple degrees of freedom; A nut supply module (600), arranged on the equipment base (100), for providing nuts (10) to be assembled; A tightening arm module (300) is mounted on the mechanical arm module (500) and is used for torque calibration, picking up nuts (10) and tightening operations; A displacement sensor module (700) and a high-precision camera module (800) are mounted on the tightening arm module (300) and are used to obtain distance and position information; The automatic control module (400) is arranged on the device base (100), communicates with the displacement sensor module (700) and the high-precision camera module (800) to receive distance and position information from the displacement sensor module (700) and the high-precision camera module (800), and controls the movement and operation of the mechanical arm module (500).

2. The blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tightening arm module (300) comprises: A fixing portion (306) connected to the end of the robot arm module (500); A moving portion (302) connected to the fixed portion (306) and movable in a vertical direction relative to the fixed portion (306); An electric tightening gun (303) mounted on the moving part (302) for providing a torque for tightening the nut (10); A terminal tightening arm (301) for picking up the nut (10) and performing a tightening operation; The connecting rod assembly (309) has an upper end fixed to the moving part (302) and can move in the vertical direction with the moving part (302), and is connected to the electric tightening gun (303), and its lower end is connected to the end tightening arm (301) to drive the end tightening arm (301) to move in the vertical direction and transmit the torque of the electric tightening gun (303) to the end tightening arm (301).

3. The blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The tightening arm module (300) further comprises: The cylinder (307) and the linear guide rail (304) are arranged between the fixed part (306) and the moving part (302), and the moving part (302) is driven by the cylinder (307) to move along the linear guide rail (304) in a vertical direction relative to the fixed part (306).

4. The blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The tightening arm module (300) further comprises: A terminal nut sleeve (311) mounted on the terminal tightening arm (301) for picking up and installing the nut (10); The miniature camera (308) installed on the terminal tightening arm (301) is used to acquire images of the operating state of the terminal nut sleeve (311) and provide the acquired images to the automatic control module (400).

5. The blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The connecting rod assembly (309) comprises: A hollow rod, the upper end of which is fixed to the moving part (302), and the lower end of which is fixed to the terminal tightening arm (301), so as to drive the terminal tightening arm (301) to move in the vertical direction along with the moving part (302); The tightening rod is arranged in the hollow rod, the upper end of which is connected to the electric tightening gun (303), and the lower end of which is connected to the terminal tightening arm (301), so as to transmit the torque of the electric tightening gun (303) to the terminal tightening arm (301).

6. The blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor according to claim 5, characterized in that: The lower end of the tightening rod of the connecting rod assembly (309) is provided with a spline; The terminal tightening arm (301) is provided with a driving gear for driving the terminal nut sleeve (311), and the driving gear is formed with a spline hole matching the spline of the tightening rod.

7. The blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The tightening arm module (300) further comprises: The quick-change mechanism is fixed to the fixing portion (306) and detachably connected to the end of the robot arm module (500), and is used to detachably connect the tightening arm module (300) to the end of the robot arm module (500).

8. A working method of a blind cavity tightening robot for an aircraft engine compressor rotor based on any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step S1: the automatic control module (400) controls and adjusts the initial posture of the mechanical arm module (500) so that the tightening arm module (300) moves to the vicinity of the rotor positioning module (200), and the compressor rotor (900) to be tightened is placed in the rotor positioning module (200) and is kept in position by the rotor positioning module (200); Step S2: the automatic control module (400) controls the operation of the mechanical arm module (500), drives the tightening arm module (300) to move to the vicinity of the nut mounting frame (601), and drives the end tightening arm (301) so that the end nut sleeve (311) thereon picks up the nut (10) from the nut mounting frame (601); Step S3: the automatic control module (400) controls the mechanical arm module (500) to adjust its posture, drives the tightening arm module (300) to move to the top of the compressor rotor (900) fixed by the rotor positioning module (200), and drives the tightening arm module (300) to make the end tightening arm (301) enter the cavity of the compressor rotor (900), aligns the picked-up nut (10) with the bolt (20) to be tightened in the compressor rotor (900) through the end nut sleeve (311), and performs initial tightening; Step S4: Determine whether all the bolts (20) to be tightened in the compressor rotor (900) have been initially tightened with the nuts (10). If yes, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to step S2; Step S5: The automatic control module (400) controls the mechanical arm module (500) to adjust its posture, drives the tightening arm module (300) and the end tightening arm (301) to move back into the cavity of the compressor rotor (900), and drives the end nut sleeve (311) to preload all nuts (10) and bolts (20) in turn, thereby completing the tightening operation of the compressor rotor (900).

9. The working method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The step S2 specifically includes the following steps: Step S2.1: the automatic control module (400) controls the mechanical arm module (500) to adjust its posture so that the torque calibrator (602) on the nut mounting frame (601) is exposed to the field of view of the high-precision camera module (800). The high-precision camera module (800) positions the torque calibrator (602). At the same time, the displacement sensor module (700) determines the current horizontal height of the terminal tightening arm (301). The high-precision camera module (800) and the displacement sensor module (700) feed back the position and height information to the automatic control module (400). Step S2.2: The automatic control module (400) controls the mechanical arm module (500) to adjust its posture according to the feedback position and height information, so that the end nut sleeve (311) of the end tightening arm (301) is close to the probe of the torque calibrator (602). When the probe of the torque calibrator (602) enters the field of view of the micro camera (308) on the end tightening arm (301), the micro camera (308) feeds back the position data of the probe of the torque calibrator (602) to the automatic control module (400), and then controls the mechanical arm module (500) to perform fine adjustment, so that the sleeve center line of the end nut sleeve (311) is aligned and engaged with the probe center line of the torque calibrator (602), and the torque calibration of the electric tightening gun (303) is performed; Step S2.3: the automatic control module (400) controls the mechanical arm module (500) to adjust the posture so that the nut on the nut mounting frame (601) is exposed to the field of view of the high-precision camera module (800), the high-precision camera module (800) locates the nut (10), confirms the position information of the nut (10) to be picked up, and feeds back to the automatic control module (800), while the displacement sensor module (700) determines the current horizontal height of the end tightening arm (301), and the high-precision camera module (800) and the displacement sensor module (700) feed back the position and height information to the automatic control module (400); Step S2.4: The automatic control module (400) controls the robot arm module (500) to adjust its posture according to the newly received feedback position and height information, so that the end nut sleeve (311) on the end tightening arm (301) is close to the nut (10) to be picked up on the nut mounting frame (601). When the nut (10) enters the field of view of the micro camera (308), the micro camera (308) feeds back the position data of the nut (10) to the automatic control module (400), and then controls the robot arm module (500) to perform fine adjustment, so that the sleeve center line of the end nut sleeve (311) is aligned with the center line of the nut (10) and the nut (10) is picked up.

10. The working method according to claim 8, characterized in that: The step S3 specifically comprises the following steps: Step S3.1: The automatic control module (400) controls the mechanical arm module (500) to adjust its posture so that the compressor rotor (900) to be assembled enters the field of view of the high-precision camera module (800). The high-precision camera module (800) locates the center of the compressor rotor (900). At the same time, the displacement sensor module (700) determines the current horizontal height of the terminal tightening arm (301). The high-precision camera module (800) and the displacement sensor module (700) feed back the position and height data to the automatic control module (400). The automatic control module (400) calculates the relative position data between the terminal tightening arm (301) and the central entrance of the compressor rotor (900). Step S3.2: The automatic control module (400) controls the mechanical arm module (500) to adjust its posture according to the calculated relative position data, drives the terminal tightening arm (301) to move until its horizontal center coincides with the inlet center of the compressor rotor (900), and then makes the terminal tightening arm (301) descend into the cavity of the compressor rotor (900), and stops descending when reaching the set working height according to the height information of the terminal tightening arm (301) provided in real time by the displacement sensor module (700); Step S3.3: The automatic control module (400) controls the mechanical arm module (500) to adjust its posture so that the terminal tightening arm (301) moves in the horizontal direction and approaches the bolt (20) to be tightened in the cavity of the compressor rotor (900). At the same time, the micro camera (308) obtains the relative position of the center line of the terminal nut sleeve (311) and the center line of the bolt (20) and feeds it back to the automatic control module (400). The automatic control module (400) fine-tunes the mechanical arm module (500) accordingly so that the center line of the terminal nut sleeve (311) coincides with the center of the bolt (20); Step S3.4: the automatic control module (400) controls the cylinder (307) of the tightening arm module (300) to operate, driving the moving part (302) to move downward along the linear guide rail (304) relative to the fixed part (306), so that the nut (10) clamped on the end nut sleeve (311) of the end tightening arm (301) is engaged with the bolt (20) at the bottom; Step S3.5: the automatic control module (400) controls the electric tightening gun (303) to output torque, and transmits the torque to the end nut sleeve (311) of the end tightening arm (301) through the connecting rod assembly (309), performs a bolt tightening operation, and screws the nut (10) onto the bolt (20) for initial tightening, while the cylinder (307) applies pressure to keep the end nut sleeve (311) and the nut (10) in a fastened state; Step S3.6: The automatic control module (400) controls the operation of the cylinder (307) to pull the moving part (302) upward along the linear guide rail (304) relative to the fixed part (306), driving the end tightening arm (301) to move upward, so that the end nut sleeve (311) is disengaged from the nut, and the automatic control module (400) controls the mechanical arm module (500) to withdraw the end tightening arm (301) from the cavity of the compressor rotor (900).

Citation Information

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